Interstate 77 widening project preliminary work complete, Stage 1 set to begin in March

Thursday, January 15, 2009

By Mike Kezdi mkezdi@sunnews.com

The Sun Courier

The next major wave of work on the Interstate 77 widening
project is scheduled to begin in March.

Between now and then, as weather permits, work will begin
on new lighting fixtures that will line the first section of
the project.

"We've completed what we needed to in the
pre-phase," said Scott Stack, Ohio Department of
Transportation project engineer.

This phase involved the creation of the median wall (which
is 90 percent finished), substructure work on all bridges
between Rockside Road and Route 82, and the creation of the
temporary outside lanes.

The tentative start date for Stage 1, Rockside Road to
Sprague Road, is March 23. That will start with a shifting
of lanes from the inside to the newly laid temporary outside
lanes.

This will allow Kokosing Construction Co. crews to add the
new permanent inside lanes, as well as the new bridge lanes.
Work also will continue on the lighting, if it is not
complete.

When that is finished, the lanes will be shifted inside and
crews will construct the outer lanes.

This portion of the phase is scheduled to begin mid to late
summer.

This late summer work also will entail the construction of
sound barriers on both sides of the interstate in this
northern section. This is work that could continue into the
winter next year.

As for traffic delays, the same closure system will be in
use for this stage. Lanes will be maintained during rush
hour, and closures can be expected between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Interstate 77 widening project preliminary work complete, Stage 1 set to begin in March

Thursday, January 15, 2009

By Mike Kezdi mkezdi@sunnews.com

The Sun Courier

The next major wave of work on the Interstate 77 widening
project is scheduled to begin in March.

Between now and then, as weather permits, work will begin
on new lighting fixtures that will line the first section of
the project.

"We've completed what we needed to in the
pre-phase," said Scott Stack, Ohio Department of
Transportation project engineer.

This phase involved the creation of the median wall (which
is 90 percent finished), substructure work on all bridges
between Rockside Road and Route 82, and the creation of the
temporary outside lanes.

The tentative start date for Stage 1, Rockside Road to
Sprague Road, is March 23. That will start with a shifting
of lanes from the inside to the newly laid temporary outside
lanes.

This will allow Kokosing Construction Co. crews to add the
new permanent inside lanes, as well as the new bridge lanes.
Work also will continue on the lighting, if it is not
complete.

When that is finished, the lanes will be shifted inside and
crews will construct the outer lanes.

This portion of the phase is scheduled to begin mid to late
summer.

This late summer work also will entail the construction of
sound barriers on both sides of the interstate in this
northern section. This is work that could continue into the
winter next year.

As for traffic delays, the same closure system will be in
use for this stage. Lanes will be maintained during rush
hour, and closures can be expected between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.